Ireland's Ian Madigan does, however, have something of a march about his run up:

Photo: YOUTUBE

And perhaps the most absurd is Gloucester's Rob Cook. His wide-legged stance has become famous in its own right, and he certainly proves his bravery each time he does it in front of a stadium full of rugby fans. Here's a compilation of some of his best:

The trend seems to have been popularised by Jonny Wilkinson in his England heyday. He later explained that his distinctive style was actually a method for mentally blocking out the world around him.

He said in an interview: "As I got more into kicking, I became more involved in looking at other aspects, and one area I looked at was focusing from the inside, slowing down the breathing, relaxation, 'centring', which is a way of channeling my power and energy from my core, just behind my navel, down my left leg and into my left foot to get that explosive power.

Stance: Jonny Wilkinson's pre-kick routine has become the stuff of legend Photo: AP

"When I was doing this, the position with the hands happened to be the one I adopted. Look at pictures from 1998, and you will see my hands are further apart.

"Each year they have gradually got closer. For whatever reason, it has become a very strong position for me."